Exclusive: Maha govt to convene stakeholder meet in 10 days to resolve GM Hyundai Talegaon worker dispute

Uday Samant, Maharashtra's Industries Minister, has convened an all-stakeholder meeting within the next 10 days to resolve the GM Hyundai Talegaon worker dispute.  

The workers union, government officials, and GM Hyundai representatives will be present at the meeting. 

Samant has asked the Workers' Union for 10 days to resolve the dispute which has two facets: increasing workers' compensation for existing employees and absorbing the remaining employees into the new facility. The Maharashtra government has asked Hyundai Motors, the new owner of the GM India plant, to consider absorbing some of the striking workers when it aims to begin operations in 2025. It has also recommended that General Motors increase the severance package offered so that workers who wish to leave are rewarded "handsomely.

In an email response, the GM India spokesperson said “GM offered our workers a separation package of 110 days per year of service, on average 3.5 years worth of salary. Half of the workforce accepted this payment within the timeline set in the Government’s Closure Approval. This period has now passed. The workers who chose not to take 3.5 years' worth of salary have been paid the statutory payment required by law.” A  mail response from Hyundai is awaited. 

In an earlier directive, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had asked the Labour Minister Suresh Khade and Industries Minister Uday Samant, along with their respective department secretaries and MIDC CEO, to work closely to ensure that the Hyundai Motor India facility is operational and labour union issues are resolved amicably and satisfactorily. 

"We support the workers and will work with Hyundai Motors to incorporate their demands into the upcoming Talegaon project." We also request that General Motors increase severance pay to ensure that employees who wish to leave are fairly compensated," the Chief Minister's office said in a statement.

For its part, the General Motors Labour Union is persistent on a legally admissible solution in order to end the hunger strike. The hunger strike is to protest the alleged non absorption by the new owner of the GM India plant, Hyundai Motor India. 

This hunger strike is likely to further hinder the commercial agreement between Hyundai and GM, as Hyundai aims to expand further in the Indian market.

"We will hold a statewide meeting next week with the office bearers of the  Maharashtra State Labour Action Committee and Shramik Ekta Federation, as well as affiliated organisations across the state," a workers' representative told Autocar Professional.